Saint Bernard

noun

Saint Ber·​nard -bər-ˈnärd 

variants or St. Bernard

: any of a Swiss alpine breed of tall powerful working dogs used especially formerly in aiding lost travelers

Illustration of Saint Bernard

Examples of Saint Bernard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Families packed Saint Bernard's Catholic Church in Tracy on Christmas Eve, filling the pews and crowding into the lobby as the sanctuary reached capacity. —Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 25 Dec. 2025

The incriminating pet cam footage showing the reality of owning a mischievous teenage Saint Bernard dog has left the internet in hysterics. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025

Gone are the days of Lassie, Rin Tin Tin or Chris, the Saint Bernard mix who starred in Beethoven. —Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025

By contrast, Drebin Jr. is more like a clumsy, aging Saint Bernard: a big, shambling man who wears a dour frown but can turn touchy-feely when the talk turns to romance, owls, or turkey dinners. —Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

the hospice of Grand St. Bernard, where such dogs were first bred

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Saint Bernard

• bodyguard
• boulevard
• disregard
• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard

Kids Definition

Saint Bernard

noun

Saint Ber·​nard ˌsānt-bər-ˈnärd 

: any of a breed of large powerful dogs developed in the Swiss Alps and formerly used in aiding lost travelers